St. Katherine Drexel Regional Fraternity
Regional Spiritual Assistant
St. Francis of Assisi Friary
1901 Prior Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
tel: (302) 798-1454 fax: (302) 798-3360 website: skdsfo email: pppgusa@gmail.com
January 2026
O admirable heights and sublime lowliness! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity!
That the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God,
so humbles Himself that for our salvation
He hides Himself under the little form of bread!
Look, brothers, at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him!
Humble yourselves, as well, that you may be exalted by Him.
Therefore, hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves
so that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally.
Daily Franciscan Sources from ASSISI COMPILATION, #85 – #88
Daily thoughtful quotes from everyday “nuts and bolts” life
85 – HE COMPOSES ANOTHER SONG TO CONSOLE CLARE AND HER SISTERS
1 – In those same days and in the same place, blessed Francis, after he composed the Praises of the Lord for his creatures, also composed some holy words with chant for the greater consolation of the Poor Ladies of the Monastery of San Damiano. He did this especially because he knew how much his illness troubled them.
– If the plan doesn’t work change the plan, not the dream.
2 – And since he was unable to console and visit them personally because of that illness, he wanted those words to be proclaimed to them by his companions. In these words, he wanted to reveal his will to them briefly, for then and for always, how they should be of one mind and how they should live in charity toward one another.
– Some days you are the lighthouse, some days you are the ship – both matter.
3 – He wanted to do this because they were converted to Christ by his example and preaching when the brothers were still few.
– Confidence is silent; insecurities are loud, so speak with purpose.
4 – Their conversion and manner of living is the glory and edification not only of the religion of the brothers, whose little plant they are, but also of the entire Church of God.
– Your comfort zone is a lovely place, but nothing grows there.
5 – Therefore, since blessed Francis knew that from the beginning of their conversion they had led, and were still leading, a strict and poor life by free choice and by necessity, his spirit was always moved to piety for them.
– Don’t wait for the stars to align, grab a ladder and rearrange them yourself.
6 – With these words, then, he begged them that, as the Lord had gathered them as one from many different regions in holy charity, holy poverty, and holy obedience, so in these they should live and die. And he begged them particularly to provide for their bodies with discernment from the alms which the Lord would give them, with cheerfulness and thanksgiving.
– If opportunity does not knock, build a door with a welcome mat.
7 – And he especially asked them to remain patient: the healthy, in the labors which they endure for their sick sisters; and the sick in their illnesses and the needs they suffer.
– A setback is just a plot twist in your success story.
86 – HE IS TAKEN TO FONTE COLOMBO TO HAVE HIS EYES CAUTERIZED; THE KINDNESS OF BROTHER FIRE
8 – It happened that, when the season conducive to healing of the eyes arrived, blessed Francis left that place, even though his eye disease was quite serious. He was wearing on his head a large capuche the brothers had made for him, with a piece of wool and linen cloth sewn to the capuche, covering his eyes.
– You cannot control the wind, but you can adjust your sails.
9 – This was because he could not look at the light of day because of the great pain caused by his eye disease. His companions led him on horseback to the hermitage of Fonte Colombo, near Rieti, to consult with a doctor of Rieti who knew how to treat eye diseases.
– Be the kind of person your future self brags about.
10 – When that doctor arrived there, he told blessed Francis that he wanted to cauterize from the jaw to the eyebrow of the weaker eye. Blessed Francis, however, did not wish the treatment to begin until Brother Elias arrived.
– Dream big, but pack snacks for the journey.
11 – He waited for him, and he did not come because, on account of many engagements he had, he could not come. So he was in doubt about beginning the treatment. But, constrained by necessity, and especially out of obedience to the Lord Bishop of Ostia and the general minister, he proposed to obey, although it was difficult for him to have any concern about himself, and that is why he wanted his minister to do this.
– Your vibe attracts your tribe, so radiate wisely.
12 – Afterwards, one night when the pain of his illness prevented him from sleeping, he had pity and compassion on himself. He said to his companions: “My dearest brothers and sons, do not grow weary or burdened because of your care for me in my illness. The Lord, on my behalf, His little servant, will return to you, in this world and the next, all the fruit of the good work that you are unable to do because of your care for me in my illness.
– Mistakes are proofs you are trying, not proof you are failing.
13 – In fact, you will obtain an even greater profit than those who assist the whole religion and life of the brothers. You should even tell me: ‘We’re paying your expenses, but the Lord, on your behalf, will be our debtor.’ ”
– Don’t just chase dreams; train them to run toward you.
14 – The holy father spoke in this way because he wanted to help them and lift them up in their faint-heartedness and weakness. He did this so that they would not be tempted to use this work as an excuse to say: “We can’t pray and we can’t put up with all this work”; and so that they would not become weary and faint-hearted, and thus lose the fruit of their labor.
– A smile is the shortest distance between two strangers.
15 – One day the doctor arrived with the iron instrument used for cauterizing in eye diseases. He had a fire lit to heat the iron, and when the fire was lit, he placed the iron in it.
– The best way to predict the future is to create it with bold strokes.
16 – To comfort his spirit so it would not become afraid, blessed Francis said to the fire: “My Brother Fire, noble and useful among all the creatures the Most High created, be courtly to me in this hour. For a long time I have loved you and I still love you for the love of that Lord who created you. I pray our Creator who made you, to temper your heat now, so that I may bear it.” And as he finished the prayer he made the sign of the cross over the fire.
– Be stubborn about your goals, but flexible about your methods.
17 – We who were with him, overcome by piety and compassion for him, all ran away, and he remained alone with the doctor.
– Your pace doesn’t matter, forward is forward.
18 – When the cauterization was finished, we returned to him. “You, faint-hearted, of little faith,” he said to us, “why did you run away? I tell you the truth: I felt no pain or even heat from the fire. In fact, if it’s not well cooked, cook it some more!”
– Don’t just turn the page; write a better chapter.
19 – The doctor was greatly amazed, and noting that he did not even move, considered it a great miracle. “My brothers,” the doctor said, “I tell you, and I speak from experience: I doubt that a strong man with a healthy body could endure such a severe burn, much less this man, who is weak and sick.”
– Hustle in silence and let your results do the talking.
20 – The burn was a long one, extending from the ear to the eyebrow, because, day and night for years fluid had been accumulating in his eyes. This is the reason, according to the advice of the doctor, for cauterizing all the veins from the ear to the eyebrow, although, according to the advice of other doctors, it would be very harmful. And this proved to be true, since it did not help him at all. Similarly, another doctor pierced both his ears, but to no avail.
– Even the tallest oak was once a little nut who stood its ground.
21 – It is not surprising that fire and other creatures sometimes showed him reverence because, as we who were with him saw, he loved and revered them with a great feeling of charity. He took great delight in them and his spirit was moved to so much piety and compassion toward them that he was disturbed when someone did not treat them decently. He used to speak with them with joy, inside and out, as if they could hear, understand, and speak about God. And for that reason he was often caught up in the contemplation of God.
– Your energy introduces you even before you speak.
22 – Once when he was sitting close to a fire, without being aware of it, his linen pants next to the leg caught fire. He felt the heat of the fire and his companion saw that the fire was burning his pants and ran to put out the flame. Blessed Francis told him: “No, dearest brother, do not hurt Brother Fire.” And he did not permit him to extinguish it. So the brother ran to the brother who was his guardian and brought him to blessed Francis and, against his wishes, he began to put it out.
– Do not fear failure but fear being in the same place next year.
23 – He was moved with such piety and love for it that he did not want to blow out a candle, a lamp, or a fire, as is usually done when necessary. He also forbade a brother to throw away fire or smoldering wood, as is usually done, but wanted him simply to place it on the ground, out of reverence for Him who created it.
– Kindness is free but priceless in value.
87 – HE WILL NOT HELP TO PUT OUT A FIRE AT LA VERNA
24 – Another time, while he was keeping a lent on Mount La Verna, his companion lit a fire at mealtime one day in the cell where he ate. Once the fire was lit, he went to blessed Francis, who was in the cell where he usually prayed and slept, to read him the holy Gospel that was read in the Mass of that day. Whenever blessed Francis was unable to hear Mass, he always wanted to hear the Gospel of the day before he ate.
– You cannot control the waves, but you can learn to surf them.
25 – When blessed Francis came to eat in the cell where the fire was lit, the flames had already reached the roof of the cell and were burning it. His companion tried his best to extinguish it, but could not do it by himself. But Blessed Francis did not want to help him: he took the hide that he used to cover himself at night, and went into the forest.
– Do it with passion, or not at all.
26 – The brothers of the place, although they stayed some distance from the cell, since the cell was far from the place of the brothers, seeing that the cell was burning, came and extinguished it. Afterwards, blessed Francis returned to eat.
– Your dreams do not work unless you do, but naps are still allowed.
27 – After the meal, he said to his companion: “From now on, I don’t want this hide over me since, because of my avarice, I did not want Brother Fire to consume it.”
– Be the reason someone believes in good people.
88 – HIS LOVE FOR ALL CREATURES
28 – When he washed his hands, he chose a place where the water would not be trampled underfoot after the washing. Whenever he had to walk over rocks, he would walk with fear and reverence out of love for Him who is called “The Rock.” Whenever he recited the verse of the psalm, “You have set me high upon the rock,” he would say, out of great reverence and devotion: “You have set me high at the foot of the rock.”
– Small steps every day lead to big changes over time.
29 – He also told the brother who cut the wood for the fire not to cut down the whole tree, but to cut in such a way that one part remained while another was cut. He also ordered the brother in the place where he stayed to do the same. He used to tell the brother who took care of the garden not to cultivate all the ground in the garden for vegetables, but to leave a piece of ground that would produce wild plants that in their season would produce “Brother Flowers.”
– Life is a one-time offer, use it well.
30 – Moreover, he used to tell the brother gardener that he should make a beautiful flower bed in some part of the garden, planting and cultivating every variety of fragrant plants and those producing beautiful flowers. Thus, in their time they would invite all who saw the beautiful flowers to praise God, for every creature announces and proclaims: “God made me for you, o people!”
– Get ready for eternity. You are going to spend a lot of time there.
31 – We who were with him saw him always in such joy, inwardly and outwardly, over all creatures, touching and looking at them, so that it seemed his spirit was no longer on earth but in heaven This is evident and true, because of the many consolations he had and continued to have in God’s creatures. Thus, shortly before his death, he composed the Praises of the Lord by His creatures to move the hearts of his listeners to the praise of God, and that in His creatures the Lord might be praised by everyone.
– If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.
Peace and Blessings
Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M. Cap.
Regional Spiritual Assistant
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